ZeniMax Online Studios has shared an update on the future of The Elder Scrolls Online for Mac players. Apple intends to drop support for Intel Binaries in an upcoming version of macOS, and as it stands the game cannot function without that Intel Binary support. In a Steam Community announcement published October 7, 2026, Game Director Nick Giacomini wrote that ESO has many Mac players and that the team is committed to ensuring they can continue playing on macOS 28 and beyond. The letter, addressed to players, spells out how the studio plans to keep the game running once Apple’s change takes effect.
To keep that player base active after Apple removes Intel Binary support, ZeniMax Online Studios will introduce a native Apple Silicon client. ARM Macs will become an officially supported platform for the game. The current Mac version depends on Intel Binary support to run, so the native client removes that dependency. Giacomini also noted that Mac players have been a huge part of the game’s journey.
Native Apple Silicon client planned for summer 2027
The native Apple Silicon client is planned to arrive in the summer of 2027. ZeniMax Online Studios will add as many performance optimizations as possible to take advantage of Apple Silicon’s new capabilities. When the client launches, the studio expects to update the minimum system requirements for Macs, and Giacomini’s letter frames that change as part of a longer transition for the game’s Mac players. The announcement does not name a specific release date beyond the summer 2027 window.
What happens to Intel Macs
Giacomini wrote that the newest Intel Macs will remain supported for now, but Intel Macs will eventually be phased out entirely. The team will assess whether some older Intel Macs are no longer officially supported and will continue to evaluate which models stay supported as the Apple Silicon client nears release. That review is tied to the updated minimum system requirements the studio expects to introduce when the new client ships, and the studio has not yet shared which specific Mac models will be affected. The letter closes with Giacomini saying he looks forward to seeing players in Tamriel in 2027 and beyond.
